Piston



Dec. 31, 1929.

J. A. SCARBOROUGH ET AL PISTON z Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1928 mm M 1 :2

Patented Dec. 31 1929 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. SCARBOROUGH, :rosnrnr. CALDWELL, AND FREDERICK GOUBSEY, or rams,

- TEXAS g PISTON Application filed February 10, 1928. Serial No. 253,409.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pistonsgenerally, although the inventionis particularly intended for use in connection with pistons employed in engines of the explosive type.

It is a well known fact that pistons become worn during extensive use and as a result piston slapping becomes very noticeable. The wearing'of the piston also causes oil to leak past the rings. 7

Among the several objectsof our invention are to provide a' piston with means for expanding the piston skirt for the purpose of taking up wear and thereby not only avoid the slapping but also prevent the undue leakage of oil past the rings; to'provide an ex panding device for the purpose set forth which can be readily adjusted from the head end of the-piston and from a point exterior thereof without the necessity of disconnecting and removing the piston from its associated cylinder, and to provide such an expanding device and actuating means therefor which are of simple construction, which may be readily applied to any piston, and which will remain in adjusted position.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a piston embodying our invention,

'Fi re 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3' is a partial top plan view and cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the piston,

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the expanding device and actuating means in .disassociated relation,

Figure 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional View through the piston showing another einbodiment gure Figure 5-butshowing the modified of our invention, and 7 is a perspective view similar to construction' of Figure 6. v i

prevent escape of Like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. 1

Referring to the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated a piston 10 having an integral head 11 and skirt 12 which is longitudinally slotted as at 13. The skirt 12 is also provided with spaced transverse webs 19 and 21 which are located on opposite sides of the. slot 13. I

The expanding device is indicated generally' at. 14, and this device, which is shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, comprises a rod 15 having one end threaded, as at 16, and the other end formed with a longitudinal slot 17. This rod is located on the side of the piston axis adjacent the slot 13 and extends in a plane at right angles to the webs 19 and 21. The threaded end 16 of the rod is engaged with a threaded opening 18 formed in the web 19 and piston. Formed in the head 11 directly above the shank 23 is an opening 26 for receiving the upper end of an actuating element 24 which in this instance is shown as a sleeve. The sleeve. 1

is interiorly threaded so as to permit the lower end thereof to engage the threaded shank 23. The outer face of the sleeve 'is devoid of threads and is freely positioned for rotation within the opening 26. The sleeve is formed with a shoulder 25 which bears against the under face of the head 11. Inorder'to turn the sleeve 24 and thereby move the wedge 22 to expand the skirt 12, we have formed the upper end of the sleeve 24 into a shape for receiving a tool. In this instance, the upper end of the sleeve is formed with a transversely disposed slot 27 for receiving a screw driver. It is desirable to close the opening 26 so as to gas from the associated cylinder, and for this purpose'we have employeda closure 28 which is in the nature of a a screw, the shank thereof having threaded engagement with the upper end of the threaded sleeve 24, and the head thereof being under.

. 'In the modified construction shown in Figs.

6 and 7, we have employed the same rod 15, wedge 22, threaded shank 23 and closure screw 28. The only change lies in the con- I struction of the actuating element or sleeve a I which in this instance'is designated at 245;

- portion This modified sleeve is exteriorly-threaded as well as 'interiorly threaded, the exterior thread permitting the sleeve .to be engaged From the foregoing, it will be observed to an ordinary piston to form three openings 18, 20 and 26, the first two openings being in the webs 19 and 21 respectively, and the third opening being in the head 11.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangements of parts may bevariously changed and modified Without departing from the spirit and scope of our inventio I I We claim I I 1. A iston comprising .an integral shell therethrough for a part of its length, and means for expanding said shell portion to take up for wear, said means consisting in a horizontally mounted rod having one end thereof threaded into one wall of the piston, a transversel extending tapered wedge engageable wit the other end of the rod and with the shell, and means forcausing the relative movement between the wedge and said transversel extending pin. 7 f I 2. Adeviceo the character describedc'omprising a piston having a pair of oppositely 'sposed web portions, a transversely d1sposed rod extending through the web por tions, a vertically extending wedge having a reduced threaded portion and adapted or engagement with said rod, and a sleeve inengagement with said reduced end, said sleeve eing operable from the end of the piston. 3. A device of the character described comrising. a piston having a pair of oppositely disposed web portions, a transversely disposedrod extending through the web portions, a verticall extending wedge having a reduced threade portion and adapted for em gagement'with said rod, a sleeve in' engagement with said reduced end, said sleeve being operable from the end of the piston, and a' headed screw adapted to en a e said sleeve and the adjacent portion 0 t e piston for effecting the locking thereof.

' 4. The combination of a piston includin ahead and a longitudinall slotted skirt, an

means movable transverse y of the head for for movin 4 head anda skirt,and means for expanding lvlvltl'the threaded opening 26 formed in the ea 11.

aving a slot extending lengthwise expanding said skirt including a device engageable with the skirt on opposite sides of the slot, and actuating means for moving the expanding device and accessible fom the exterior of the head. I 5. The combination of a piston including a head and a skirt, and means for expanding said skirt including a rod extending across the skirt and having one end fixed thereto, and a wedge cooperating with the other end ofthe rod-and skirt, and actuating means' 7 'lg said wedge transversely of the Thecombination of a piston including a said skirtincluding a rod extending across h the skirt and having one end fixed thereto, t a it is only necessary in applying our invention and a wedge cooperating with the other end of the roda'nd skirt, and actuating means for moving said wedge transversely of the rod comprising a rotatable and endwise movable and a wedge cooperating with the other en ,of the rod and skirt and provided with a threaded shank extending towards said head, and actuating means for moving said wedge transversely of the rod comprising a sleeve having one end engaging the shank of the wedge and the other end engaging the head of the iston. p

8. T e combination of a piston includin a head anda longitudinally slotted skirt, t e latter being formed with ,an opening, and means for expanding said skirt including a rod extending across the skirt and having one end fixed thereto opposite said opening and having its other end .freely mounted within said opening, and a wedge cooperating with the freely mounted end of the rod and with the skirt and having one end fixed theretc:i

the skirt, and actuating means for moving head and a longitudinally slotted skirt, said head and skirt being each formed with an opening, and means for expanding said skirt including a rod extending across" the skirt and having one end fixed thereto opposite the opening in the skirt and having its other end freely mounted within said opening, and a' wedge cooperating with the freely mounted end of the rod and with the skirt, and actuating means accessible through the opening in the head for moving said wedge transversely of therod. I

10. The combination of a piston includin a head and a lon itudinall slottedskirt, sai

head and skirt ein eac formed with an opening, and means or' expanding said skirt including a. rod extending across. the skirt and having one end fixed thereto opposite the opening in the skirt and having its other end,

freely mounted within said opening, and a' wedge cooperating with the freely mounted end of the rod and with the skirt, and actuating means for moving the wedge transversely of the rod comprising a rotatable and endwi'se movable element having its inner end engageable with the wedge and its outer end engageable with the head and extending intothe opening of the head, the outer end of the element belng shaped for engagement by a tool whereby the element may be rotated from the exterior of the piston.

11. The combination of a piston including a longitudinally slotted skirt and spaced transverse webs disposed on opposite sides of the slot, andmeans for expanding the skirt including a rod having one end fixed to one web, and a wedge cooperating with the other end of the rod and with the other web, and actuating means for moving the wedge transversely of the rod.

JOHN AFSGARBOROUGH. JOSEPH B. CALDWELL. FRED. COURSEY. 

